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Why I’ve Been a Fan of the Yankees

in 1955 the New York Yankees took a six week tour playing exhibition games in Hawaii, Guam and Japan. Any of my readers remember that? or ever heard of it? Probably not. I have never forgotten it.

I was 12 years old and lived on Guam. We looked forward to this game and seeing the World Famous New York Yankees. They played the “Guam Caballeros” and you can guess who won. That team was full of names we are all familar with today, Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra among them. Also on the team was Don Larsen who went on to pitch the only perfect game and the only no-hitter in the World Series the following year. Game 5 of the World Series against The Boys from Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Dodgers, on October 8, 1956 earned him the MVP of the World Series that year.

Just knowing that would have made them my favorite team, but there is more to the story then just that. You see, after the game, the Yankees remained on the field to shake hands and autograph programs or anything else in our hands. I only got one autograph on my ticket, and it was none other than Don Larsen’s! I still have that ticket. It ranks right up there in the top ten of my prize possessions from my childhood today! and as Paul Harvey would have said . . .

I just returned from spending a couple of days with my best friend, Don Larsen. While I was there he pulled out a photo that has probably never been published before anywhere, at least I haven’t seen it. It is a photo of Don Larsen and Mickey Mantle in Hawaii in 1955 during that tour. It is black and white but still a great photo. Both are wearing numerous leis.